John vogeler



1. voeELER. DRUMHEAD TIGHTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13, |919.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

mf. QN .NN Il/ NN N nw. 1/ l L I TToR YV I JOHN VOGELER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRUMHEAD-TIGHTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 12, 1919,

Application inea May 13, 1919. serial No. 296,745.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VOGELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drumhead-Tighteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tympani or kettle drums, and has for its principal object to provide means which may be readily applied to drums of various sizes whereby the tone pitch of the drum may be quickly and accurately altered to satisfy the requirements of the particular musical composition being rendered.

Heretofore, such drums have been provided with a plurality of independently opera-ble straining devices to increase or de crease the tension of the drum head skin and thereby vary the tone pitch. t is exceedingly difficult to effect precisely the same adjustment of the several straining devices (usually six) in the brief interval afforded the drummer during the performance of certainy musical compositions. Many devices have been suggested and employed for the purpose of facilitating this head tensioning operation and adjusting the straining members, arranged at spaced points around the drum head, simultaneously and to exactly the same degree in a single operation by the drummer. Prominent among such prior in-y ventions may be noted the hydraulic tension device wherein water under pressure is supplied to a tube arranged upon the edge of the drum head, and the lever or pedal operated mechanisms. In the former, the tubing soon wears out and the water deleteriously affects the head skin while the latter embodies numerous. prohibitive disadvantages. -So far as I am aware, none of these prior devices have proved satisfactory in practice.

It is therefore my aim and purpose to acf complish the desirable end above referred to by means of a simple, compact, and reliably operating arrangement of mechanical elementswhich may here be briefly referred t0 as comprising suitable means for mounting and holding the kettle drum body against vertical movement while permitting of its free rotation and including a vertically disposed screw mounted on a suitable base, a manually operable element threaded on said screw, and a plurality of straining rods connected to the flesh hoop of the drum and adjustably connected to said element.

, The `present invention further comprehends a device as above characterized, which may beoperated with little manual exertion, is capable of manufacture at nominal cost, and the several partsvof which can be readily disassembled andv compactly arranged for convenience in transportation.

Having the aforementioned objects in view, the present invention comprehends certain novel and improved combinations of mechanical elements, and the structural chararacteristics thereof, as will be more fully developed in the following description and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawing, wherein I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tympanum or kettle drum equipped with the present improvement Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary perspective view illustrating the adjustable means which enables the device to be applied to drums of various diameters.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates a suitable base to which the lower end of a threaded supporting screw or standard 6 is flexibly Vconnected by means of a suitable joint so that said screw and the parts carried and supported thereby may be tilted to any desired angular position with respect to the base. I `f A collar 7 is securely fixed upon the upper end of the screw 6 and has a raceway formed in its upper face to receive the bearing balls indicated at S. A steel plate or disk 9 of skeletonized construction has a collar l0 secured toits bottom face, said collar having a complementary raceway to receive the bearing balls 8.

The kettle l1 which may be of any approved construction is provided with the usual4 substantially semi-spherical body 12, the wall of which possesses the desired resonating qualities for the sound waves, and a flesh hoop 13 which is arranged in circumscribing relation to the body wall V12 at its upper edge exteriorly thereof. To the outer side of the wall 12 adjacent to the flesh hoop 13, a plurality of spaced brackets 14 are secured. Each of theseV brackets is provided with an opening to receive the upperY end of a vertical rod 15, each of said rods having a stop pin or other equivalent means indicated at 16 engaging the under sides of the respective brackets 14. Clamping nuts 17 are threaded upon the upper ends of the rods and engage said brackets. Y

Upon the radial Vportions of the skeletonized plate9, the adjustable arms 18 are arranged, each of said arms having a series of longitudinally spaced openings 20 therein to receive a pair of bolts 19 which are disposed through spaced openings in the plate 9. 1t

will'thus be seen that the arm 18 may beY shifted` radially relative to the plate and the bolts 19 inserted through selected openings 20, so that the said arm will project for the desired distance beyond'the periphery of the plate, the extent of such projection being determined by the diameter of the drum. At its outer end, the arm 18 is provided with a single opening 21 to receive the threadedr lower end of the rod 15. Nuts 22 are threaded upon this lower end of the rod and engage the upper and lower faces respectively of the arm 18.

.A second metal plate 23 of somewhat larger diameter than the plate 9 and likewise of skeletonized construction, is provided with a central hub 24 which has threaded engagement upon the screw 6. This plate is also provided with adjustable arms 25 having a series of spaced openings 26 therein and secured upon the plate in their radially adjusted positions by means of the bolts 27 in a similar manner to the adjustable arms 18 above referred to. Each of the arms 25 is provided in its outerend with a threaded opening to receive the threaded lower end of a rod 28. These rods extend upwardly around the drum 11 and are connected at their upper ends Vto the keys 29 which are rotatably mounted in brackets 30 fixed to the flesh hoop 12 and projecting radially therefrom. It will be understood from this construction that by initially turning the keys 29, the rods 28 may be threaded downwardly through the arms 25 and a downward pressure Vthus exerted upon the plate 9 through the drum wall and the rodsY 16 to properly position said plate upon the bearings 8` and hold the drum against vertical movement relative to the supporting screw or standard Y6 though permitting of the free rotation of said drum.

Having assembled and applied the several parts of the device in the manner above eX-Y plained, when it is desired to vary the tension of the head skin so'as to change the tone pitch of the drum, the drummer simply rotates the plate 23 in the Vdesired direcdrum body which would disadvantageouslyV affect the resonance or tonal qualities of the drum wall. The brackets 1&1 being secured to this wall adjacent to its upper edge, will not to any noticeable degree, affect the resonance of the drum wall. Y

From the above description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,

the construction and manner of operation of my invention together with its several advantages will be readily understood. By means of a very simple operation which can be accomplished with little exertion on the part of the drummer, the adjustment of the i' I drum head may be instantly made simultaneously at a lplurality of points and the change in tone pitch accurately produced. The rapidity of this operation, is very' frequently of vital importance, since in many musical compositions, the lapse of time afforded the drummer within which to change the tone of the drum, is very slight. It will be understood that the arms 18 and 25 may A.

be of such length as to afford any desired range of adjustment, but in practice the adjustment rangerfor these arms will be such as to enable thev device to VbeV applied to drums having diameters from 22 to 32 inches.

It. is also to be noted -as one of the important features of the invention that not only is it adaptable to drums of various sizes, but the several parts may be -very easily and quickly disassembled and com- M.

pactly arranged when the drum' is to be stored or transported from place to place. As these various elements areoof very simple construction, it will also be appreciated that the device in its entirety may be manu-` factured and sold at relatively small cost. j Y In the preceding description and the accompanying drawing, I have disclosed one practical embodiment of the invention,

which, however, may likewise be exemplified in numerous alternative constructions. Accordingly the invention as herein claimed is to be considered as inclusive of all legitimate. equivalents for the various elements employed as well as other contemplated ar rangements thereof, whichmay satisfactorily accomplish the desired results. Y

I claimt- 1. In a tympanum, a support, a rotatable member mounted on said support, a kettle supported by said member Vand rotatable therewith, said kettle having aV flesh hoop,

and straining means rotatably and longitudinally movable on the support and connected to the flesh hoop.

2. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, means for rotatably mounting the kettle above and in spaced relation to the screw, and straining means including a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, and means operatively connecting said part to the Hesh hoop to move the latter longitudinally on the kettle body and tension the kettle head when said part is rotated.

3. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, means for rotatably mounting the kettle above and in spaced relation to the screw, and straining means including a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of spaced elements connecting said part to the flesh hoop whereby the latter is moved longitudinally on the kettle body to tension the kettle head when said part is rotated.

4. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a plate rotatably mounted on the upper end of said screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, means for supporting the kettle upon said plate and in spaced relation thereto, a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, and means operatively connecting said part to the flesh hoop to move the latter longitudinally on the kettle body and tension the kettle head when said part is rotated.

5. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a plate rotatably mounted on the upper end of said screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, means for supporting the kettle upon said plate and in spaced relation thereto, a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, and a plurality of spaced elements connecting said part to the flesh hoop whereby the latter is moved longitudinally on the kettle body to tension the kettle head when said part is rotated.

6. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a plate rotatably mounted upon the upper end of said screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, rods connected at one of their ends to the kettle, adjustable means on said plate to which the other ends of said rods are connected to support the kettle above and in spaced relation to the plate, a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, and means operatively connecting said part to the flesh hoop to move the latter longitudinally on the kettle body and tension the kettle head when said part is rotated.

7 In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a plate rotatably mounted upon the upper end of said screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, rods connected at one of their ends to the kettle, adjustable means on said plate to which the other ends of said rods are con* nected to support the kettle above and in spaced relation to the plate, a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, a plurality of straining elements connected to the flesh hoop, and adjustable means carried by said part and to which said elements are connected whereby said part and the kettle are rotatable in unison and the flesh hoop moved longitudinally with said part to thereby tension the drum head.

8. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a plate rotatably mounted upon the upper end of said screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, means for supporting the kettle above and in spaced relation to said plate, a part threaded on the screw for movement longitudinally thereof, a series of radially adjustable arms carried by said part, and straining elements connected to the flesh hoop and adjustably engaged in said arms to effect a longitudinal movement of the flesh hoop on the kettle body and thereby tension the kettle head when said part is rotated.

9. In a tympanum, a supporting screw, a plate rotatably mounted upon the upper end of said screw, a kettle having a flesh hoop, means for supporting the kettle above and in spaced relation to said plate, means for adjustably connecting said supporting means to the plate, a second plate threaded on said screw, a plurality of radially extending arms, means for adjustably securing the arms to said plate, and straining rods threaded at their lower ends in said arms and connected to the flesh hoop to move the i latter longitudinally on the kettle body when the latter plate is rotated and thereby tension the kettle head.

10. In a tympanum, a base, a tiltable support mounted upon said base, a rotatable member mounted on said support, a kettle, means connecting the kettle to said member for rotation therewith but preventing vertical movement of the kettle, said kettle having a flesh hoop and straining means rotatably and longitudinally movable on the support and connected to the flesh hoop.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

JOHN VOGELER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by* addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

